1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus configured to execute parallel processing of a plurality of operations, a method of control for the same and a program configured to cause a computer to execute the control method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Currently there is a range of conventional information processing systems from wide spread personal computers (hereafter “PC”) to exclusive use systems for specific areas. Such information processing systems are designed for simultaneous execution of a plurality of operations.
Normally such information processing systems are configured to use a graphical user interface (hereafter “GUI”) to enable selection of the operation from a plurality of operations executed in parallel, which is to be designated as the current operation. Thereafter, an operator can execute operations on the current operation. With this arrangement, other operations which are not designated as current are in a suspension state and cannot be the object of operations until the GUI is used to place the undesignated operation in a current state.
For example, widely-used PCs are configured to enable parallel execution of a plurality of operations including word processing and spreadsheets. A user can switch between a plurality of operations using a GUI called a taskbar which is provided on the screen. More specifically, an operation title or icon is displayed on the taskbar as a display component (header) configured to identify the operation. By selecting a title or icon, the user can switch the current operation.
Additionally, exclusive use systems for specific areas such as X-ray imaging systems are configured to enable parallel operation of examining X-ray images or display of previously-imaged historical images. Prior to commencement of examination of a given patient and completion of all related X-ray imaging, examining of another patient with a higher priority level may have to be interposed and consequently there is a need for parallel execution of examining a plurality of patients. After examining is commenced, the GUI adds an examining tab as a display component (header) identifying the operation on the GUI. When the examining is completed, the tab for that examination is deleted. Information configured to specify the examination such as the patient name or examination ID is displayed on the tab. Prior to completion of the examination, when examining of a subsequent patient is commenced, the examination tab for the patient who is being examined is placed in a non-selected state and a tab for the new examination is added. A plurality of examinations may be suspended at this time and the suspended examinations may be recommenced by using the GUI to select the examination tab of the examination to be recommenced.
Another example of an X-ray imaging system is discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-245270 in which after a first examination which is being executed is suspended and another examination is executed, the suspended examination is recommenced. The example disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-245270 is configured to enable recommencement of suspended examinations by using the GUI to select a suspended examination from a “reservation reception list screen”.
Conventional information processing systems executing a plurality of operations in the above manner enable display and selection on a GUI of components (headers) such as a tab, list or task bar configured to identify operations and to thereby select a current operation. Since a selected state or a non-selected state of these display components can be distinguished and displayed as suspended on the list, an operator can understand which operations are suspended.
However a conventional information processing system does not notify the suspension period of particular operations and no information is available to decide which operation to recommence next. As a result, the problem arises that an operation may remain uncompleted for a long time. In particular, when the system is applied to an X-ray imaging system, a patient may wait for an unnecessarily long period of time. In addition, there is the problem that the suspended operations cannot be divided into operations which need not be completed and operations which must be completed.